Penny Mallory is a known for her success in the world of motorsport, but her impact extends far beyond the rally tracks. A former British rally driving champion, Penny has evolved into a highly sought-after motivational speaker, mental toughness coach, and performance expert, inspiring audiences across the globe with her remarkable story and insights into resilience, focus, and personal development.
Her experience ranges from world championship rally drivers to young offenders, and focusses on improving their mental performance, orchestrating change and building outstanding individuals and teams.
She works with organisations, teams (including Formula 1) and individuals on mental performance and also hosts development programmes and workshops. Penny was also the first woman in the world to compete in a world rally car – the Formula 1 of rallying.
Penny is an inspirational motivational speaker thanks to her life and career experiences and her ability to make the impossible seem possible.
Contact Great British Speakers today to book motivational speaker Penny Mallory for your next event.
Penny’s journey to becoming a motorsport icon was far from typical. She grew up with an alcoholic and manic depressive mum, who spent time in a mental asylum. Growing up in this challenging environment meant Penny felt invisible, unloved and worthless. At the age of 14, she ran away from home, leading to a period of homelessness, mental illness and alcoholism.
After three years, and with a lot of determination and resilience, Penny realised she had to take control of her life. Despite her difficult circumstances, Penny always harbored a dream of becoming a rally driver, an ambition that many considered impossible given her situation.
A chance event allowed her to realise her childhood dream of driving a rally car and she was instantly hooked. She started raising sponsorship and worked her way up the rallying ranks.
Against the odds, she found her way into the male-dominated world of rally driving. Through sheer determination and relentless hard work, Penny not only broke into the sport but also made her mark. She became the first woman to compete in a World Rally Car, a huge achievement in an arena traditionally dominated by men.
Penny’s breakthrough came when she started competing in British Rally Championships. Rally driving, known for its rugged terrain, dangerous conditions, and need for split-second decision-making, needs an incredible amount of skill and bravery. Penny not only met the challenge but thrived in it.
After only four years of racing, Penny became National Ladies Champion. She made history by becoming the first woman to drive a World Rally Car (WRC). The WRC is considered one of the most challenging motorsport competitions globally, and only the best drivers make it to this level.
Over her career, Penny competed in iconic events such as the Rallye Monte Carlo, one of the most challenging and famous rallies in the world. She also participated in numerous stages of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), gaining respect from her peers for her daring driving style and technical skills.
In addition to her on-track successes, Penny’s in-depth knowledge of motorsport led her to become a prominent figure in the media. She became a motorsport commentator and TV presenter, working on high-profile programs that covered motorsport, car testing, and extreme sports. Penny’s presenting roles on shows like Channel 4’s “Driven”, a car and motoring show, helped bring her expertise and experience to a broader audience. Her insight into the sport and her ability to explain the intricacies of racing made her a fan favorite.
Penny is an expert in Mental Toughness, a psychological framework that measures an individual’s resilience and ability to cope with pressure, stress, and challenges. She coaches and advises on how to develop these qualities to improve performance, not only in sports but also in business, leadership, and personal growth.
Her work focuses on helping people understand the four core pillars of mental toughness:
– Control: The ability to manage emotions and influence events around you.
– Commitment: The determination to achieve goals despite obstacles.
– Challenge: The ability to see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than threats.
– Confidence: The belief in one’s ability to succeed, even under pressure.
Penny has established herself as a popular motivational keynote speaker. Drawing from her extraordinary experiences, Penny now shares her Mental Toughness formula to help organisations and individuals to cultivate confidence, resilience, commitment and determination.
Her keynotes are interactive, entertaining and thought-provoking, but most importantly they compel people to take action immediately. She equips teams and organisations with the tools to conquer challenges, meet ambitious targets, navigate tight deadlines, and thrive under intense pressure.
She has an outstanding international reputation and has worked with many blue-chip clients including Airbus, Audi, BMW, Coca-Cola, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, P&O, Proctor & Gamble, Tesco, Volkswagen and Waitrose.
– Mental Toughness
– Creating Confidence
– World-Class Thinking Leads to World-Class Behaviour
– Resilience and Results
– Enlightened Leadership
– Ambition to Achievement
– The Psychology of Success
– Becoming Comfortable with the Uncomfortable
– Supporting Organisations Through COVID-19 and Beyond
Below is the teaser speaker reel for Penny Mallory…
As a former successful rally driver, Penny knows what competition and pressure can do to the mind. She is an expert in improving performance and results.
Penny has fought hard to where she is today and knows how important it is to not give up. Her story is inspiring and proof to audiences that dreams can come true if you want it bad enough.
Penny is a favourite of many international corporates including Tesco and Sony.
She doesn’t try to outsmart people with industry-standard buzzwords. She is authentic but entertaining. She can relate to audiences from all professional levels, ages and backgrounds.
She can provide hour-long speeches, day-long conferences and multi-date workshops depending on the client’s requirements. Her aim is to leave delegates feeling compelled to take immediate and long-lasting action to make a difference in their personal and professional lives.
“Penny Mallory is a fascinating and fluent speaker on the topic of Mental Toughness. I had the pleasure of working with Penny on scripts for her vlog/YouTube channel. She knows her subject inside out. Better than that, she talks about it with energy and infectious enthusiasm. I would highly recommend Penny if you’re looking for a keynote speaker for your event.” Sue Moore, The Midlife Messaging Strategist
Boston Scientific’s RM EMEA leadership team had the pleasure of Penny Mallory’s company at our last team meeting of the year. At a time when people are being pushed to their limits, Penny’s talk on mental toughness was truly inspiring and provided valuable insight. Thank you, Penny, for such a thought-provoking session and making our last meeting of the year a memorable one. Rowena Meades, Boston Scientific
“A particularly good session Penny and most unexpectedly I had to dial into this in the hours after the sales kick off where I needed some Mental Toughness. Good luck in your row across the Atlantic!” Business Sales Manager at Virgin Media O2 Business
Penny Mallory is a fantastic key note speaker. She recently presented at our London Leadership Talks event for Leaders at London Councils.
Penny shared her life experiences and was able to translate her learning into practical steps and approaches that we can use to develop mental toughness particularly in times of adversity and uncertainty. Samantha Whittick, Assistant Director, Ealing Council